climate control BUICK REGAL 2013 Owner's Guide

Black plate (6,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
8-6 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.
To open a vent, move the
thumbwheel to | . To close the vent,
move the thumbwheel to
9.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
.Keep the paths under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Maintenance
Air Intake
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air intake at the base of the
windshield that can block the flow of
air into the vehicle.
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for replacement intervals.
For more information, see your
dealer.
Service
This vehicle may have the new
environmentally friendly refrigerant,
R1234yf. This refrigerant has a
significantly reduced global warming
impact on the environment,
compared to the traditional
automotive refrigerant, R-134a. All
vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle.
The refrigerant system should only
be serviced by trained and certified
technicians. The air conditioning
evaporator should never be repaired
or replaced by one from a salvage
vehicle. It should only be replaced
by a new evaporator to ensure
proper and safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
9-2 Driving and Operating
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.

Black plate (9,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑11. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.

Black plate (22,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
There are several conditions which
may prevent an auto stop or cause
an auto start.
The Engine Will Remain
Running When:
.The engine, transmission,
or high voltage battery is not
warmed up yet.
.The outside temperature is less
than−20°C (−4°F).
.The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain vehicle comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1 The warmer
it is outside, the shorter the time
before the engine is restarted to
provide cabin cooling. To
maximize fuel economy, use the
eco air conditioning mode.
.The shift lever is in P (Park),
N (Neutral), R (Reverse),
or M (Manual Mode).
.The high voltage battery pack
charge is low.
.The hood is not fully closed.
.Brake pedal pressure is low.
.If the MIL is on, auto stop may
be prevented.
.High humidity is detected.
The Engine Will Restart When:
.The brake pedal is released.
.The accelerator pedal is applied.
.Shifting out of D (Drive) to any
other gear.
.The air conditioning or defrost
system need the compressor to
maintain vehicle comfort. See
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1. The
warmer it is outside, the shorter
the time before the engine is
restarted to provide cabin
cooling. To maximize fuel
economy, use the eco air
conditioning mode.
.The climate control system is
turned from off to normal air
conditioning or defrost. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
.The engine is required to run for
either heater or climate control
performance. See Dual
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
.The high voltage battery pack
charge is low and requires
recharging.
.Auto stop time is greater than
two minutes.
.The hood is opened.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below −18°C (0°F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in

Black plate (60,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
10-60 Vehicle Care
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular
basis. However, check the
alignment if there is unusual tire
wear or if the vehicle is pulling to
one side or the other. If the vehicle
vibrates when driving on a smooth

Black plate (2,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26Jump Starting . . . . . . . . 10-85, 10-87
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-28
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . 7-22, 7-24, 7-27
Brake
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-18
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32, 6-4
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-33
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Cargo Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-3
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-15
Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-28
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44, 3-46
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-92
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14

Black plate (3,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/5/12
INDEX i-3
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Competitive Driving, Racing or Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . .10-64, 10-71
Connections OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-16
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2, 13-4
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-14
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-19
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Devices
Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5 Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-4
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . . 5-12
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Driving Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-23
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1